Apparatus for distributing and circulating air



G. L. ARMS June 30, 1931.

' APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AND CIRCULATING AIR Filed May 18, 1928 2Sheets-Sheet 1 [2% #02222" 660 (Z firms M m Jf/arngym June 30, 1931; G.L. ARMS 1,812,072

APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING AND CIRCULATING AIR Fileu May 18, 1928 '2Sheets-Sheet 2 3 fnye/zfo r dear c Z. 1772? I Patented June 30, 1931GEORGE LYMAN AB s, or CHICAGO, ILLI'noIs, As'sIG oitTo nonnn'rs ANDSCHAEFEB COMPANY,'OF CHICAGOLILLINOIS, A CORPORATION. OF-ILLINOIS' IAPrAnA'rUsnon DISTRIBUTING-AMI) oIRoULATmG AIR.

' Application use m 1 ,31923. SeriaI No. 278,684. g l

' My invention'relates-to improvements in apparatus for distributing andcirculating air. It has for one object to'provide anew and improvedapparatus .forand meansfor controlling 5 and circulating the air which"ef fects cleaning and s'eparationwithout providing 'an exc'essivel'ygreat-quantity of air from which dust must be separated before it isdischarged into the outer atmosphere. Another object of the invention isto make'itj possible to use large'volumes of air for coal" cleaning andtreating and to remove the dust from such air without separatelytreating and dust cleaning the total amount of the air in the system.Other objects will appear from time to time throughout-the specificationand claims. p u I My invention is illustratedmore or less ings whereinthroughout.

' The coal treating, separating air cleaning plant is of the typewell-knownto the art wherein there are a plurality of'coal clean ingtables, it ,being'understood that the coal :320 is classified as .tosizebefore being fed to the tables and each tablereceives coal mixed withthe refuse as'itfcomes from the mine of a size for each table conformingto the general. character'of the table; It will beunderstood'thatthe-table which treats the small or fine coal particle'srequires much less air than the'table which treats the "coarserparticles,

and thefine coaltable is equippedwith' a small fine pervioussc'reenfd'eck, the other lutely pureair must be fed to theunderside of'thej fine deck, a; certain amount of: dust in ghle air as it is fedtothe coarser decks isnot ct. .A general descriptionv of one deck willsuflice for all. The "table, unit. comprises a blower A" supplyinga'irfundei" pressure diagrammatically in the accompanying drawgravity.

diagrammatic side elevation;

Like parts are indicated by like characters tablesas they handle largerand largersi'zes 'ofcbal being equipped with progressively increasedsized screens forming thedecks. It. will further-be understood thatwhileabsodeck A Thefair passes through thisdeck at through a conduit toa funnel or vas. ch mney A on the underside [of aIp'ervious relativelyhigh velocity and passes through a continuously flowing sheet ofmaterial on the deck-. The supporting 7 means --A are provi'de'djtoadjust the angle, of inclinationofthe deck and the linkage A is providedto sup;

port'the deck and-permit it tobe'reciprocated i by theeccentricwheeliAflfconnecting rod A? the wheel being driven through agear train A? from thefan shaft, whi'ch in turnis driven by a motor A Ais affeed hopperfdisa charging through the chute-A onto' the surface ofthe deck, the mixed coaland reiuse suppliedybyany suitable. conveyor AIt will be understood that thepurpose of the deck is to separate thecoal and the refuse by Located aboveeach deckis a=hood B; there being'aflexible bellows B extending down the reciprocating deckrand the fixedhood but l there must be space between the deck and the of coal andrefuse to be treated and for the discharge of the separated coalandrefuse. B isa suction pipe leading from the top, of

or handled by the varioustables. a I' have numbered the tables fromright to [from the hood to and engagingthe deck to -make-ia generallydust tight join t'between 5. ihdod hrough the bellows .jfo admissioh I'left a's 1, to 5 inclusive. Number 1' is the finest table and the othertablesincrease in coarseness, of screen and by material treated by themand increase in air requirements. from Into 5 though itwillbe'understood that a greater orless number of tables mightbe used. i

C is an air the example which I have shown thistable because ifthere'weredust in the-.air it would.

amt through which air is drawnto the fan A for, tablenumber 1. In

requires 4.0OO cubic rector air. This air is p jcleaned before it isforced through the screen the pipe B into the dust settling chamberthough this chamber might be dispensed with if that were desired andthen drawn through a suction pipe G which pipe carries 4,000 feet of airplus the amount of air which enters in through the bellows between thedeck and hood on the fine table. This approximately 4,000 feet is drawninto the fan which feeds air to Number 2 table. This table requires6,000 feet of air, 4,000 plus the make-up air as I prefer to call it,entering between the hood and deck on the fine table and comes to thefan through the pipe C The supply to make up the 6,000, that is 2,000feet less make up enters the fan A for the second table through anadjustable intake opening C The 6,000 feet of air passes up through thepipe A in the funnel and deck to the hood as above pointed out. From thehood B is drawn through the pipe C 6,000 cubic feet of air plus make-upfrom table Number 2. This 6,000 feet of air is discharged into a make-upmanifold C the pipe C discharging into that make-up manifold and themake-up manifold discharging into the fan A associated with Number 8table. This pipe C discharges 6,000 cubic feet of air.--

The deck itself needs 9,000. In this case to avoid drawing in an excessof make-up air the dust laden air is recirculated from the hood Bassociated with Number 3 table through a recirculation pipe C which pipealso discharges into the manifold C This pipe will discharge into themanifold 3,000 feet less make up so that a total of 9,000 feet isdischarged to the deck. The control valve C is provided to add ifnecessary an additional supply of air to the makeup manifold to insurethat the proper amount of air is fed to the deck. This make-up manifoldand control valve is found in connection with tables Nos. 4 and 5 also.

From the hood B of table No. 3 is withdrawn through the settling chamberand through the pipe C only 6,000 feet plus make up. 3,000 feet isrecirculated between the hood and fan of No. 4 from the pipe C and 3,000feet is introduced controlled by the valve C to give a total 12,000 feetof air to work the table. F rem the hood of table No. at is drawn 9,000feet of air through pipe C to the make-up manifold of table No. 5. 3,000feet is recirculated through the pipe C and only 4,000 feet is drawn offthrough the pipe 0 to the dust separating apparatus It will beunderstood, of course that these amounts are only generally stated.There may be considerable divergence in any particular set of tablesbetween make-up recirculation and transfer from one table to an otherbecause this apparatus must be set up to take care of the peculiarcharacteristics of the coal which is treated and because every operatorwho adjusts or sets up a plant is likely to make slightly differentadjustments from the other but however these adjustments are made, italways results in maintaining that part of the system between the fanand the deck under pressure and the balance of the system under suctionso that all leakage is inward. The dust is always thus kept in thesystem and the dust in the air forced through any table except thesmallest one is some of it deposited with the coal passing through thetable. The remainder only that which is carried out with the 4,000 feetor relatively small amount fed to the dust separator is the only dustwhich gets out of the system except with the coal and slate as it isdischarged.

Experience shows that there is a limit beyond which the air is unable tocarry dust so that when the air reaches the dust saturation point anyadditional dust is deposited on the coal or settled out through thesettling chambers. The reason for using the settling chamhers is toprovide means for recovering the coal dust which is valuable and to makeit unnecessary to circulate through the system and through the fan largeand heavy quantities of dust and to prevent discharging from the tablesexcessively dusty coal which would be c irty to handle in the plant butas far as the operation of the system is concerned the dust settlingchambers could be dispensed with.

It will be understood that while I have shown a complete system takingcare of live different tables handling coal of five different sizes,nevertheless my system might be applied to a larger or to a smallernumber of tables and under some conditions recirculation of the coalbetween the hood and the fan of every table and under other conditionsno recirculation need be used or in other conditions only recirculationat theend of the system might be the best solution.

I claim:

1. The combination with a plurality of air cleaning tables all of whichare pervious to air and impervious to solids of an air system therefor,comprising separate means for discharging air under pressure through thedeck of each table, hoods overlying each table, a conduit leading fromthe hood of one table to the air discharging means for the next table. 7

2. The combination with a plurality of air cleaning tables all of whichare pervious to air and impervious to solids of an airsystem therefor,comprising separate means for discharging air under pressure through thedeck of each table, hoods overlying each table, a conduit leading fromthe hood of one table to the air discharging means for the next table,dust separating means interposed between the two ends of such conduit.

3. The combination with a plurality of air cleaning tables all of whichare pervious to tern therefor,comprising separate, means for dischargingair under pressure throughthe deck of each table, hoods overlying each table, a conduit leading from the hood of one table to the airdischarging means for the;

next table, adjustable air inlet means associ ated with eachairdischarging means to permit the introduction of make up air intothesystem.

4; The combination with aplurality of air cleaning tables allof which:are pervious to air and impervious to solids of an air'system therefor,comprising separate means for dis charging air under pressure throughthedeck of each table, hoods overlying each table, aconduit leading fromthe hood of one table to the air discharging means for the next-1 tableand a recirculating conduit. leading from the hood associated with oneof the tables, to its air discharging means.

5. The combination with a plurality of air. cleaning tables all ofwhichare pervious to air and impervious tosolids of an air sys-;

temtherefor, com-prising separate means i for discharglng a1r underpressure through the .ble, a conduit leading from the hood of one tableto the airdischarging means for the next table and a, recirculatingconduit lead-. ing from the hood associated with one of the v tables toits air discharging means and ad- I ,tables and 'means contrfolled bythei -operator justableair'intake means associated with the airdischarging means to permit the introduction of make-up air to thesystem.

6. The combination with a plurality of air cleaning tables of an airsystem therefor, comprising separate means for discharging airf' underpressure through the deck of each ta: hoods overlying each table, aconduit leading from the hood of one table to the air discharging meansfor the next table and a ble,

' V recirculating conduit leading from the hood associatedwith oneof thetables to its air i discharging means, and means for withdraw- I ingarelative-ly small quantity of air from the hood associated with thelast table in the system and separating the dust therefrom.

' The combination with a pluralityof air cleaning tables of an air Isystem therefor,

comprising separate 'means for discharging air underpressure through thedeck ofj each table, hoods overlying each table, a conduit leading fromthe; hood of one'table to the air discharging means for the next. tableand a v recirculating conduit leading from the hood associated with oneof the tables to its air discharging means and adjustable air intakemeans associated with the air discharging means to permit theintroduction of-make up 7 air to thesystem, and means for withdrawing arelatively small quantity of air from the hood associated with the lasttablein the system and separating the dust therefrom. a

8. The combination with a'plurality of air part' of thesystem associatedwith each tablevtjorprovide Lfor progressively increased table 7cleaning tables of an air system therefor 'wheremthe tables are arranged1n seriesgji means for forc ng all under pressure through admitting makeup air to that .p art of the sys for wherein thetables are arranged inseries,

" mean s; for forcing' air under;pressure through ":each 1 tablesuccessively, and 1 means for recir- 'culating the through some of thetables.

I {the combination with a" plurality of vair cleaning tables arranged inseries whereby th ey'm'aycpass through the system successively from-andthrough onejtable after another all p of which arejp'er vious'to air andimpervious to solidsrof an air systemithe're'for iwh'ereinthe :tablesare arranged inseries, means for forcing air eunder pressure :through'each table successively, and -means: controlled by 'the' operator :foradmitting make fup air to: that l;

Mairireqi'uirements;yv a i 10.. j-Thecomb'nation'witha plurality of aircleaning tables arranged in series whereby theymay pass-throughtheisystem succes ,sivel-y from and through one table after j deck ofeach table, hoods overlying each ta -anotheiial l of which areperviousto air and =-imperviousyto solids'of anairfisystem theref forwherein thetables are arranged in series, means for forcing airaunder pressure.through each table successively, andmeans I forrecirculating theairthroughjsome of the c for-iadmittingmakeupiairto that partof the, systemassociated with each table f to, provide -for progresssivelyincreasedtable air requirelments,

.11. Thel combination aipluralitywof quantity ofvafir and; separatingout the dust contained therein. i

7 12. The comb'natlon with a pluralityof air air] cleaning tables of an;air system therefor, I

' v W means for forc ng-air underpressure through each-tablesuccessivelyrand means for recirand means for finally withdrawing fromthe Tj last table of'the system, a relativelyismall 5;-

eachfta ble successively, and means for recire a and means controlled bythe operator for tern associated with eachtable to provide for ments and'means' forv finally withdrawing from the last table of the system, arelatively s v culating the air throughsome of thetable's, f

progressively,increased table air'require-j 13. In a battery of aircleaning'tables,

means for supplying air to one of the tables comprising a blower, adischarge conduit leading therefrom to the table, a manifold adapted tosupply air to the blower, a hood located above-the table, arecirculation pipe adapted to lead air from the hood to the manifold, apipe adapted to lead spent dust laden air from another table in thebattery to the manifold.

14. In a battery of air cleaning tables, means for supplying air to oneof the tables comprising a blower, a discharge conduit leading therefromto the table, a manifold adapted to supply air to the blower, a hoodlocated above the table, a recirculation pipe adapted to lead air fromthe hood to the manifold, apipeadaptedto leadspent dustladen air fromanother table in the battery to the manifold, the manifold having a makeup inlet opening and a'valve controlling it to provide make up airwhereby the operator may control the total amount of air fed to thetable.

15. The combination with a plurality of air cleaning tables of an airsystem therefor wherein the tables are arranged in series, means forforcing air under pressure through each table successively and meansassociated with one of the tables in the system for recirculating partof the air therethrough', means for removing dust from the air as itgoes from one table of the system to the next.

16. In a coal cleaning system, a dust arrester, a plurality of aircleaning tables having different air requirements and means for forcingair therethrough and withdrawing spent dust laden air from that part ofthe system where the air requirement is greatest and to supply cleanedair to that part of the system where the air requirement is least, theair forcing and withdrawing means being so arranged that dust laden airfrom the tables of less requirement is supplied to tables of greaterrequirement so that only the amount of air discharged from the zone ofgreatest air requirement passes through the dust arrester.

Signed at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 28 day ofApril, 1928.

GEORGE LYMAN ARMS.

